This summer, I've been working with a diverse network of environmental, indigenous, labour, health, business, faith, and youth groups to develop an open letter calling on the BC government to confront the climate emergency and commit to ten climate actions.

The Federal election is over, and it's clear that Canadians overwhelmingly voted for climate action, whether they voted Liberal, NDP, Bloc Québécois, or Green.

Now we need to turn promises into tangible climate action.

This election is critical as climate change is spiraling out of control. If we don't take immediate action to end fossil fuels scientists warn we are facing climate, ecological, and social collapse.

Everything we know and love is at risk.

I'm having a tough time deciding who to vote for, so I thought I'd share a few of the things that I'm thinking about as I make my decision.

Baby, it's hot outside. It was 42 degrees during the heatwave in Squamish, but our heat pump kept our home lovely and cool.

I've been raving about my heat pump. Not something I thought I'd ever say, but get geeky with me.

Youth demand climate action at the global climate strike in 2019. In response, we've developed a ten-year plan to catalyze climate action. Learn how you can help kickstart the #ZeroCarbonChallenge below.

Last year the BC NDP gave $1.3 billion of taxpayer money to oil and gas companies.

A new report by our friends at Stand.earth has revealed that subsidies to fossil fuel companies have increased to a whopping $1.3 billion a year under BC NDP leadership.

That's double what we spend on Climate Action and 5x more than we earn in royalties.

Did you know BC gives away a billion dollars a year to fossil fuel companies? That's twice as much as we spend on climate action, and five times as much as we get back in royalties.

Can you chip in to support our campaign to #EndFossilFuelSubsidies?

OTHER WAYS TO DONATE

Woodfibre LNG has recently been splashing out on full-page ads in local newspapers, plus targeted ads on social media.

Every time I see these ads there is a little cheer inside my head because it means we're winning. The Director of Communications at Woodfibre LNG actually thanked my co-founder, Eoin Finn, last year. Why? Because without us, she wouldn't have a job. In fact, Woodfibre LNG has at least four communications and community relations staff. We're making it that difficult for them.

So let's have some fun and debunk these two ads.

Did you know that Canada currently spends $4.8 billion dollars a year subsidizing fossil fuel companies?

That's $4,800,000,000 dollars. That's how much it would cost to teach 360,000 students; retrain 480,000 workers; or pay the annual healthcare costs for 880,000 people.

Shocking, right?

An independent hazard assessment of a worst-case scenario accident (X) shows that residents will suffer potentially lethal radiative effects (up to 330 metres), second degree burns (up to 460 metres), and pain (up to 715 metres). Photos show the Finch Drive (left) and Ravens Plateau (right) in Squamish.

Deadline midnight 23rd December, 2020

FortisBC has applied for an amendment to its environmental assessment certificate for its 24-inch, high-pressure pipeline from Coquitlam to the Woodfibre site. The amended route for this pipeline puts Squamish and Coquitlam residents at risk and must be changed!

Your input is critical! It can be as simple as stating your concerns and WHY you are opposed to the project, however, specific comments or questions related to FortisBC's amendment application have more weight. You can also copy and paste from the list of key concerns below. This is one of your only opportunities to hold FortisBC accountable and stop this pipeline!

Let FortisBC know that nothing is worth more than the safety and well being of our communities.

• Submit your comments here by 23rd December 2020

• Say why you are opposed to FortisBC's pipeline

• Copy and paste the key concerns below

• Share this with your friends via email and social media

• IMPORTANT! Some people are reporting issues with the BC EAO submission form. Please make sure that you check the checkbox that appears in the middle of the pop-up to confirm that “I have read the above and understand what my submission should/shouldn't include.” This needs to be checked before you can click the "Next" button.

List of key concerns with Fortis BC's pipeline and compressor station

We have compiled a list of our key concerns with Fortis BC's application below. Please feel free to cut and paste as many of these as you'd like to include. You can submit comments as many times as you like.

1. 1. 1. Support for moving the compressor station from Mt Mulligan to the Woodfibre site
         FortisBC is proposing to move the compressor station from Mt Mulligan (near the Valleycliffe neighbourhood in Squamish) to the Woodfibre site. I support this relocation as it reduces the safety risks for people that live in the Valleycliffe neighbourhood of Squamish.

      2. Relocation of the 24-inch high pressure pipeline along Finch Drive in Squamish puts residents at risk
         FortisBC has re-routed the 24-inch high pressure pipeline along Finch Drive in Squamish, failing to take into account the increased density of homes built in that neighbourhood since 2015. I do not support the relocation of the pipeline, and I continue to oppose the approved pipeline route behind Ravens Plateau and through the Squamish Business Park. FortisBC has refused to answer questions from residents that live or work along the pipeline route regarding the blast radius from a worst-case scenario accident. An independent hazard assessment shows that residents could suffer potentially lethal radiative effects (up to 330 metres), second degree burns (up to 460 metres), and pain (up to 715 metres). Pressure waves from a worst-case scenario accident could result in destruction of buildings (up to 360 metres), serious injury (up to 570 metres), and shatter glass (up to 1,275 metres). FortisBC is recklessly putting Squamish residents at risk. I ask for the BC EAO to require FortisBC to consider alternative pipeline routes away from residential neighbourhoods.

      3. New 3 km extension of the 24-inch high pressure pipeline in Coquitlam puts residents at risk
         I oppose the new 3 km extension of the 24-inch pipeline in Coquitlam that puts the Westwood Plateau neighbourhood at risk. FortisBC has refused to answer questions from residents that live or work along the pipeline route regarding the blast radius from a worst-case scenario accident. An independent hazard assessment shows that residents could suffer potentially lethal radiative effects (up to 330 metres), second degree burns (up to 460 metres), and pain (up to 715 metres). Pressure waves from a worst-case scenario accident could result in destruction of buildings (up to 360 metres), serious injury (up to 570 metres), and shatter glass (up to 1,275 metres). FortisBC is recklessly putting Coquitlam residents at risk. I ask for the BC EAO to require FortisBC to consider alternative pipeline routes away from residential neighbourhoods.
         
         
      4. Local air pollution has direct health impacts
         FortisBC is proposing to power the new compressor station at the Woodfibre site using natural gas compressors that will increase local air pollution, which is directly linked to human health impacts, particularly for children and the elderly. Access to electricity is available on site, so why isn't FortisBC using it? I ask for the BC EAO to require FortisBC to use electricity to power the compressor station.

      5. FortisBC + Woodfibre LNG = sixteenth biggest greenhouse gas polluter in BC
         The ongoing operational greenhouse gas emissions from the FortisBC pipeline and compressor stations in Coquitlam and Squamish is estimated at 67,200 tonnes CO2-equivalent. When added to the annual local greenhouse gas emissions of 142,000 tonnes of CO2-equivalent from Woodfibre LNG, these combined projects will be the sixteenth biggest source of greenhouse gas pollution in BC. The science is very clear that we need to immediately reduce emissions by more than 50% by 2030 and achieve net zero by 2050. I ask for the BC EAO to add a condition to require operational emissions of this project are net zero by 2050.

      6. Acid rock drainage and metal leaching from the 9 km tunnel under the Squamish estuary
         FortisBC has revealed that there will be acid rock drainage and metal leaching from the new 9 km tunnel underneath the Squamish estuary. This is the same issue that has poisoned the lands and waters around Britannia Beach for decades, and now Squamish will have a treatment facility that will discharge directly into the Squamish River. A second acid rock drainage treatment facility will be located at the Woodfibre site. I ask the BC EAO to require FortisBC and Woodfibre LNG to pay a significant bond to ensure that taxpayers are not left with the cost of acid rock drainage cleanup.
         
         
      7. Drilling and blasting noise 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, for over two years
         To drill the nine kilometre tunnel underneath the Squamish estuary, FortisBC estimates that there will be blasting and drilling 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, for over two years. This will have noise impacts for the surrounding homes and businesses in Dentville, Squamish Business Park, the Northyards, and Yekw'apsem reserve. This is unacceptable and results in a loss in quality of life for nearby residents.
         
         
      8. Where will 600 fly-in fly-out workers be housed?
         There will be over 600 workers during peak construction, however FortisBC does not have a plan for where these workers will be housed. Combined with the Woodfibre LNG project, there will be up to 1,100 fly-in fly-out workers in Squamish starting from 2022 till 2025. The cumulative social impacts of housing this many workers in Squamish has never been properly assessed. Squamish currently has a near zero vacancy rate for rental properties. I ask the BC EAO to require FortisBC to ensure that there are no negative impacts on the cost of housing and rental accommodation, especially for low income families living in Squamish. 
         
         
      9. Increased risk of COVID-19 transmission from fly-in fly-out workers
         There have already been COVID-19 outbreaks at work camps for LNG Canada and Site C dam. How will FortisBC ensure that our communities are not exposed to COVID-19 from community-worker interactions?

      10. Workcamps are linked to increased violence, sexual assault, and drug and alcohol abuse
          The report on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls revealed widespread violence linked to workcamps, with higher rates of sexual assault, harassment, and rampant drug and alcohol abuse by workers. How will FortisBC ensure that vulnerable residents are not subjected to these negative social impacts?

More questions?

If you have any questions, contact Gareth Stuart, the Project Lead for FortisBC's Eagle Mountain to Woodfibre Gas Pipeline project.

Gareth Stuart
Project Lead
Environmental Assessment Office
[email protected]
1-236-478-0829

Support our work

It's taken a team of volunteer experts over a month to review 817 pages of information from FortisBC, attend dozens of hours of public info sessions, and research these key issues. Please consider supporting our critical work with a donation and help us to amplify this work.

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A few years after I graduated school, I went backpacking in Ecuador where I made the voyage out to the Galapagos Islands. I was amazed at the abundance of wildlife, and as a young marine scientist I was in the water every chance I got.

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Your generous donation will support our campaigns to defend, protect, and restore Howe Sound.

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FortisBC pipeline and compressor station amendment

FortisBC has applied for an amendment to its Environmental Assessment Certificate, and the public comment period started last week (deadline = 23rd December).

CBC Vancouver reporter, Jon Hernandez, interviewing Tracey Saxby.

It's been a roller coaster of emotions.